Gyroscopic instrument



1933- H. ANSCHLHJTZ-KAEMPFE GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENT Filed April 15 71: venfar' m, M; L

flfi'arwtra Patented Jan. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE 808E mm ANBOH'UTZ-E, OF MUNICH, GERMANY, ASSIGNOB .lO I IEDEBLAHD- TEOHNISGHE nnmm. KAATSOHAPPIJ 6130, 0] THE HAGUE, NETHE- GYBOSCOPIC INSTRUMENT Application ma s ur is, use, Serial in. semen, and in Germany s n 1?, am.

My invention relates to gyroscopic instruments, and more particularly to gyroscopic comp. One of the primary objects of my invention 18 a gyroscopic instrument equippled with a plurahty of gyroscopes which wi maintain a true horizontal position irrespective of acoelerations of any kind or of variations in the geographic latitude of the location of the instrument.

Another object is a gyroscopic compass of the multi gyroscgge e having a gyroscopic system, the peri o oscillation of which is independent of the geo aphic latitude and is the same about all of t e principal axes.

In the Patent No. 1,186,339 granted June 6, 1916, to Schuler the psinciple has been disclosed accordin to w 'ch the ballistic errors of the sing eroscope compass are reduced by the addition of auxiliary gyroscopes which lengthen the period of oscillation of the indicator system about the northsouth line. A constructional example described in the specification comprises two gyrosco s mounted on a floating support and anc ored by a spring in their relative position of rest, both these gyroscopes contributing to produce the directing force and stabilization about the north-south line.

As described in Patent No. 1,480,637 to Schuler, a gyroscopic system is free from pendulous movements (due to alterations in the speed or course of the ship) if its period of oscillation is about 84 minutes. In the constructions known prior to m invention, however, this condition could he fulfilled only for a particular latitude because a change of latitude meant an alteration in the period of oscillation which for example decreases when nearing the equator. Various attempts have been made to eliminate such alteration. It has been proposed by me to rotate the gyroscopes faster or slower, in accordance with the geographic latitude, and thus alter the momentum of the gyroscope while the action of gravity on the gyroscopic system remained unchanged. Another method was to leave the moment of the gyrosco e unaltered and provide devices such as a justable weights co-ordinated to the gyroscopic system whereby the action of gravity was altered to aiiect the period of oscillation. In both these proposals, however, interference with the compass or its auxilia apparatus is unavoidable and entails possi le disturbances in the readings. Moreover, corrections of the kind under consideration cannot be evenly and continuall performed but in stages only, and are a so dependent upon the attention and the skill of the members of the crew; this is clearly a defect.

My invention now provides a gyroscopic compass of the multi-gyroscope type, in which the period of oscillation is automatically and evenly regulated to remain constant irrespective of variations in latitude of the location of the gyrosco ic instrument.

A preferred embodiment o my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a horizontal cross-section through the support of the gyroscopes corresponding to the support is shown in the afore-mentioned Patent N 0. 1,186,339, the gyroscopes being m operative position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, the gyroscopes being at rest;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the support of another species, the gyroscopes assumin the position shown in Fig. 2.

Ihe support 1 which is preferably in the form of a casing enclosing the yroscopes, is so mounted as to be swingable a out its three principal axes and to tend under the action of gravity, to assume a definite normal position relative to the horizon. The means for mounting the support 1 are not shown and described herein, as they are Well known in the art and do not form part of my present invention. Reference is made again, however, to the aforementioned patent to Schuler No. 1,186,339 disclosing such means.

The arrows 2 and 3 represent the impulse vectors of two gyroscopes A and B of equal size operated at equal angular velocity. Each of the carriers 14 and 15 in which the bearings of the gyroscope axles 12 and 13 are port. The arrows 6 and 7 are the directing components of the force operative to keep the axis N-S of the system pointed towards the north direction, while the arrows 8 and 9 represent those components of the force 2, 3 which counteract oscillations about the N-S axis and thus stabilize the gyroscopic system. It may be clearly seen from Fig. 1 that the directin components 6 and7increase asthe axes 12 an 13 of the gyroscopes swing about the points 4 and 5 nearer their position parallel to the NS line, and decrease as the angle formed between 12 and 13 increases. If this angle be 0. and the impulse 2, or 3 respectively, of each gyroscope be J, we have a total impulse 2.]. cos for the directing force the foregoing. The latter are entirely fuland the cosine of the geographic latitude remains the same for all latitudes coming into consideration in practice.

The purpose in view may be served by various constructions but that diagrammatically shown in Fig. 2 is extremely simple and carries into efiect the theoretical result to its nearest approximation.

In this construction the instrument is equipped with two gyroscopes. It is to be understood, however, that my invention is applicable to any gyrocompass or similar instrument comprising a plurality of gyroscopes each of which is capable of a swingmg movement of its axle within a predetermined plane of the support, provided that all of said planes assume a predetermined relative osition. In the embodiment shown, eac of the two gyroscopes is mounted on the support 1 to be swingable with its axle in a horizontal plane of the support.

The two oscope carriers 14 and 15 which are swlngable about the vertical axes 4 and 5 are connected to the system 1 by springs 10 and 11 adjusted so that the angle a amounts to 180 when the gyroscopes do not rotate, and is reduced to 126 when the said gyroscopes are rotating and when the comass is located at the equator. The force oading the springs 10 and 11 when the compass is in operation is derived from the action of the rotation of the earth upon the gyroscope spindles which tend to point tofilled when the ratio between cos wards the North Pole with their north ends. The forces under consideration are very small so that the springs need exert only a correspondingly small opposing force, while the bearings 4 and 5 must afi'ord easy movement.

Both these requirements may be best answered by relieving the bearings of the pivots 4 and 5 by suspending the carriers 14 and 15 which contain the heavy gyroscope members -on torsion wires adjusted so that they exert the small spring force required.

This arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 3 showing a vertical section through the support 1. Each of the two carriers 14 and 15 which are formed by casings enclosing the gyroscopes, is suspended from the top of a bracket 16 or 17 respectively, mounted on the cover of support 1, by means of a torsion member 10, or 11' respectively, which is preferably in the form of a thin wire. Thus as will be easily understood, the members 10' and 11' perform the function of both thrust bearings and springs 10 and 11.

The same arrangement may obviousl be provided in gyroscopic compasses in w ich the gyroscopic systemhas not the floating suspension described in Patent No. 1,186,339 and in which the indicator system is mounted in another manner.

In this patent it has been pointed out that in theory the apparent moments of inertia of the movable system should be the same for each plane, i. e. the period of oscillation for the rise and fall of the east and west points of the yroscopic system should have the same value as for the meridian oscillations. It has hitherto been possible to disregard this theoretical requirement because no detectable ballistic error arises with much smaller periods of oscillation. If, however, the gyroscopic compass is to be used for maintaining and indicating the true horizon as well as the meridian, it is necessary that this condition should be fulfilled completely or at least with close approximation.

In a similar manner as explained in Patent No. 1,480,637 for a gyroscope having a generally vertical axle, a gyroscopic system including at least one gyroscope having a horizontal axle (such as shown in Patent 1,480,637) remains free from pendulous movements (notwithstanding any variation in the speed of the support) when the period of oscillation for the east and west elevation of the system amounts to 84 minutes. The present invention in eliminating any departure from the prescribed period of oscillation of the gyroscopic system provides a gyrostatic system, which will maintain the true horizon regardless of changes in the latitude of its location.

In contrast with the instruments known prior to my invention the gyrostatic system eretofore described is capable of rendering an indication which is not subject to the necessity of corrections for earth rotation and movements of the ship. In a com ass according to this invention the card ,0 the indicator systemor, more recisely, the normally horizontal plane of t e gyrosco e-support never deviates from the true orizon (when the card is adjusted for the purpose while the compass is stationary) irres ective of whatever horizontal acceleration t e system is subjected to on a vehicle and irrespective of the rate of travel of the support.

This might a pear paradoxical when takingl into consi eration that when the ship fo owsj an easterly course the angular velocit of the compass relatively to the earth is a ded to the angular velocity of the earth in relation to s ace, but is subtracted therefrom when the i follows a westerly course. In other words the roscopes would'have, in both cases, dissimi ar precessional velocities about the north-south axis of the system relatively to s ace. The load on the constraining spring, owever, is automatically somewhat increased owing to the above mentioned acceleration when the course is easterl and the said load is suitably decrease when the course is westerly, so that the precessional velocity in relation to space .fiuence of accelerations,

will alwa s amount to the desired value. Also, no eviations will occur under theinprovided that the relation between ravitational moment, gyroscopic moment which depends on the rate of rotation of the gyroscopes), and spring action is correct i. e. that the period of oscillation is 84 minutes in every plane.

Preferably, the springs 10, 11 or 10', 11' determining the relative position of the gyroscopes are so dimensioned and adjusted that the angle between the axes of the nonrotating gyroscopes in their position of rest amounts to 180 (as shown in Fig. 2), but amounts to about 126 'at the equator when the gyroscopes are operated at normal s eed. Experience has shown that ifthis con ition is com lied with, the action of the spring is as slig t as required in theory without.unallowable and faulty positions being set up as a result of resilience. Two apparently quite dissimilar requirements are met by precribing these two relative values. The stabilizing component J X sin 5 and therefore the period of oscillation about the north-south axis vary in accordance 3 with. latitude, but these variations are only ient means connected to said gyroscopes for normally urging their axles toward substantial alignment to automatically alter the relative position of said axles in dependence on the geographical latitude of the location of the instrument.

2. In a gyroscopic instrument, the combination com rising a. support mounted to be swingable a out its three rincipal axes and to tend under the action 0 gravity, to assume a defimte normal position relative to the horizon, a plurality of gyroscoges mounted in said support to be swin ble a other, at least one of said gyroscopes having a normally horizontal axle, and springs connectin said gyroscopes to said support for norm y urging the gyroscope axles toward substantial a ignment, said springs being so dimensioned as to respond to those variations in the efl'ect of the rotation of the earth upon the gyroscopes which are due to a change in the geographic latitude of the locations of the instrument.

3. In a gyroscopic instrument, the combination compgsing swingable a ut its three princ pal axes and to tend, under the action of gravity, to assume a definite normal position relative to the horizon, at least two groscope-carriers mounted in said support, a gyroscope mounted on each of said carriers, torsion members connected to said support and to said carriers and servin to constrain the latter in a"- position in w ich the axles of said gyroscopes are substantially parallel, said torsion main-,

bers being so dimensioned as to respond to of the location of the instrument, substantially as described. v

4. In a gyroscopic instrument, the combination of a plurality of gyroscopes, a support for said gyroscopes to permit oscillation in res ones to changes in terrestrial forces to which the roscopes are subjected, and means norma ly ur ing said gyrosco 1ndependently towar a mutually para lel positlon in opposition to the directive forces thereof to compensate for the instantaneous geographic location of the instrument.

5. In a gyrosco ic instrument, the combination of a plura ity of gyroscopes, a support therefor in which the gyroscopes are independently movable about substantially vertical axes, and a spring connecting each of out axes which are vertical to their ax es and parallel to each a support mounted to be alignment.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

to I nnuumt AuscniiTz-mmrr.

CERTIFICATE OF CGRRECTI N.

Patent No. l, 895, 628.

January 31, 1933.

HERMANN ANSGHl iTZ-KAEMPFE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring. correction as follows: Page 3, line 100. claim 3, strike out the words "the'axles of"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case a in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 14th day of March, A. D1933.

(Seal) M I. More,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 7

alignment.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

to I nnuumt AuscniiTz-mmrr.

CERTIFICATE OF CGRRECTI N.

Patent No. l, 895, 628.

January 31, 1933.

HERMANN ANSGHl iTZ-KAEMPFE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring. correction as follows: Page 3, line 100. claim 3, strike out the words "the'axles of"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case a in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 14th day of March, A. D1933.

(Seal) M I. More,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 7 

